Group Guidance and Group Counselling: Steps and Techniques

Introduction

Guidance and counselling are essential services in the educational and psychological field. Apart from individual guidance and counselling, group guidance and group counselling have become widely used approaches because they save time, provide collective learning, and address common issues faced by individuals.

While both aim to help individuals grow academically, emotionally, and socially, there are key differences between them in terms of focus, methods, and outcomes. Let’s explore their meaning, relationship, steps, and techniques.

Meaning of Group Guidance

Group guidance refers to the process of providing information, direction, or advice to a group of individuals who share similar needs or problems. Instead of helping one person at a time, group guidance allows counsellors or teachers to address many individuals simultaneously.

Examples of Group Guidance:

Orienting students about career opportunities.
Conducting workshops on study skills.
Organizing sessions on time management and exam stress.

Key Features:

Focuses on common problems of a group.
Preventive and informative in nature.
Time-saving and effective for large audiences.

Meaning of Group Counselling

Group counselling is a professional service where a trained counsellor works with a small group of individuals who share similar personal, emotional, or social problems. Unlike group guidance, group counselling is therapeutic and focuses on emotional adjustment.

Examples of Group Counselling:

Counselling a group of students with exam anxiety.
Helping adolescents with peer pressure.
Counselling groups dealing with grief or stress.

Key Features:

Small group (usually 6–10 members).
Interactive and therapeutic.
Encourages sharing and mutual support.
Focuses on emotional and behavioral adjustment.

Difference between Group Guidance and Group Counselling

Aspect	Group Guidance	Group Counselling
Nature	Informative and preventive	Therapeutic and remedial
Group Size	Large (classroom/seminar)	Small (6–10 members)
Focus	Providing information, direction	Emotional adjustment, problem-solving
Method	Lectures, workshops, orientation	Group discussion, role-play, sharing
Role of Leader	Teacher or expert	Professional counsellor

Steps of Group Guidance

The process of group guidance usually follows these steps:

Identification of Needs – Recognizing the common problems or requirements of the group.
Planning the Programme – Deciding the objectives, topics, and methods of group guidance.
Organization – Arranging workshops, seminars, or group sessions.
Presentation – Providing guidance using techniques such as lectures, discussions, or demonstrations.
Evaluation – Assessing the effectiveness of the guidance session.
Follow-up – Supporting individuals further if they need personal guidance.

Steps of Group Counselling

Group counselling follows a more therapeutic and structured process:

Formation of Group – Selecting members with similar issues (e.g., exam stress).
Orientation – Explaining the purpose, rules, and confidentiality.
Building Trust – Establishing rapport and openness among group members.
Problem Identification – Encouraging individuals to share their concerns.
Exploration and Discussion – Analysing problems collectively through sharing and interaction.
Intervention/Action – Using techniques like role-play, cognitive restructuring, or behavioral training.
Termination – Summarizing progress and closing the session.
Follow-up – Providing further support if needed.

Techniques of Group Guidance

Some commonly used techniques in group guidance are:

Lectures & Talks: Delivering information on career, study skills, or personal growth.
Workshops & Seminars: Interactive activities to develop skills.
Demonstrations: Showing practical examples, e.g., study methods.
Question-Answer Sessions: Allowing students to clarify doubts collectively.
Orientation Programmes: Helping new students adjust to school or college

Techniques of Group Counselling

Group counselling requires more interactive and therapeutic techniques:

Group Discussion: Sharing problems and finding collective solutions.
Role Play: Acting out situations to understand perspectives.
Case Study Method: Analysing real-life situations to develop problem-solving skills.
Sociodrama: A dramatic representation of social problems to encourage understanding.
Brainstorming: Generating ideas to solve issues collectively.
Psychodrama: Acting out emotional experiences for catharsis and understanding.

Importance of Group Guidance and Group Counselling

Time-Saving: Helps many individuals at once.
Peer Learning: Participants learn from each other’s experiences.
Confidence Building: Encourages sharing and openness.
Cost-Effective: Reduces the need for multiple individual sessions.
Social Skills Development: Improves communication, cooperation, and empathy.

Conclusion

Group guidance and group counselling are essential approaches in the educational and psychological context. Group guidance helps in providing information, direction, and preventive measures to a large audience, while group counselling deals with emotional, personal, and behavioral problems in a small group setting.

By understanding their steps and techniques, educators, counsellors, and institutions can effectively use these methods to ensure the academic success, emotional well-being, and social adjustment of individuals.